Hunted
by l33tFACE
Summary: Hunters all over the world travel in hopes of someday bathing in the riches and glory of fame. Shan-Hii: the gilded city of the sea has a certain call which draws all Hunters from afar. This story follows several different paths, some filled with victory, others with peril and adventure, and another with a dark beginning. Death plays on the breath of every Hunter, but for how long?
1. Chapter 1 - With the Rising Sun

Chapter 1 - With the Rising Sun

It was a damp and humid morning, tropical rain from the previous night still balanced on the tips of grass blades, trees dripped quietly, all was still but the gradual drying of the land. Night still lazily draped over the small Moga village which sat at the mouth of a gorgeous bay. There were few awake at the time, at most the fishermen would be returning home from a long night of retrieving trapped fish. Other villagers lay quietly in their huts, pressing themselves either to a lover or a child, quiet and asleep they stay.

However, there was one who seemed to skip the sleeping process for the night. Tracking a rather troublesome enemy for a while, one Moga villager was wide awake, traveling through the deep caves which lead to the bay. Waist-deep in a flooded cavern, the woman held a torch above her head. Her body was clad in something much more different than the tattered leather of a normal villager. Instead, she wore many different pieces of what seemed to be armor. Each piece was created from the skin or scales of a creature. She wore this because she was no ordinary villager, in fact, if anything, she was above the entire village in rank. This was the village's hunter.

Looking closer at her compilation of animal armor, it was clear to see it was from a species far more dangerous- not an animal, but a combination of monsters. Upon her calves and behind her arms were fins of sorts -they were impressively sharp in nature. Her body was tightly fit with a vest made of some light-weight but extremely sturdy hyde. Bolted down and stitched across a thick leather, her body was covered in a decadent mixture of blue-green and yellow scales.

Resting across the back of her perfectly sculpted hips was a sword, matching its stout and thick design was a shield which was strapped onto her arm. It was clear that the matching set of armor and weaponry was built using some intimidating and powerful monster. Its origin however was the water, seen by the way the water the hunter walked through seemed to just glide right off every inch of her body and weaponry.

The woman had clearly seen battle in her days. Her body, although a perfect balance of muscle and sun- kissed skin, was covered in marks. Some were rough and jagged, and others resembled something of an intricate design. Her face however, although it seemed soft and feminine was scarred with one large slash extending from the bottom of one of her ice blue eyes to the curve of her jawline. Upon her head was a long mess of gold-white locks, few braided to keep her hair out of her face.

Continuing to travel through the caves, she finally felt the ground go down. She knew she was getting closer to what was the entrance to the bay. Stopping to take one last look around the rocks, she noticed a trail of remotely fresh monster blood. Blinking hard as to adjust her eyes, the hunter neared the wall. Either something had just been killed or something was too stupid to try and fit its body through a small cave. She assumed the latter as to keep her focus. She was hunting something that wasn't meant for traveling the caves, that was for sure, but she wasn't too accurate on if the monster was this dumb or not.

Dunking her torch into the salty water, she put its flame out and tossed the crude hunk of wood aside. Taking a deep breath, she dove downward, slipping right below a overhanging of rock and began to travel through an underwater tunnel. The salt was no problem for her eyes, coming from a family of fishers, she had practically adapted to it. Not only was she able to swim quickly regardless of the help of her water-hunting gear, but she also knew how to predict and read water currents.

Feeling her body go a bit faster, she knew there was a suction created from an opening at the end of the tunnel. Smiling at her correct guessing, she put her hands along the closing space and simply pushed herself to the mouth of the cave. Holding herself in the opening she now gazed at a crystal-clear area. She was in the quieter area of the bay. If any, Moga villagers would come here to collect raw materials and shelled fish. It was simple to gather here because once you made it down past the initial breaking waters, it was calm and quiet, not to mention monsters generally didn't come here save the occasional Ludroth of course. They were just sneaky annoyances who tend to get lost in cave mazes every once in a while, this ending up here by mistake

However, what ever had forced itself through the cave she previously traveled through, if that was even the correct guess of course, it had to be much bigger than a simple Ludroth.

Upon readying herself to push out into the open, there was a glint she noticed out of the corner of her eye, thus making her back up into the cave's shadow. The only real light she could depend on as of now was the moon. As she waited, she felt a shift in the water's movement.

After another minute of waiting, she felt her head get light. She was definitely running out of air. She had held it this long, but even an expert water hunter would need air to keep going. Looking around, she found a pocket in the rocks where bubbles were coming down. Sadly, this was out in the opening where something was still lurking. She had a better chance of going up to the surface for air over swimming across to the air spout through the rocks -but going to the surface would give her a bigger blind spot than the prior option.

Letting out a mouthful of air as to ease her strain, the hunter decided on going up rather than across. Crouching at the mouth of the cave, she pushed up to the surface as quick as she could. That's when she saw th glint again. Immediately, her heart raced. She hardly took an appropriate breath of air before she was back under water, her sword drawn.

o o o

"Damnit Ichiro! The next time you knock me back, I'll have the blacksmith make your SKIN my new armor set!"

"HA! Sorry Princess, Just trying to land a good hit!"

"Don't call me a princess, you mindless brute!"

"Would you two women quit arguing and focus on the task at hand here?!"

Weapons flew just as fast as insults did between three men -hunters actually. Together, they stepped lightly around a rather enraged Barroth. The monster was already seeing colors as it had a missing tail and broken head. A large cry bellowed from its mouth as it charged one of the men wielding a sword and shield.

"Come on buddy, let's go!" sneered a man with pitch-black hair and emerald eyes.

"Whoops!" another man yelled as his body collided with the green-eyed man and his hammer took a good hit to the Barroth's face.

"Ichiro, no- GAH!" at the same sound of the Barroth's head being hit, the man thrown hit the ground rather harshly.

Gasping for air, the sword and shield fighter tried to get up. He winced as he pulled away from a rather impressive stack of rocks which his back hit. If it wasn't for his armor, he could've been dead. At his struggle, the third hunter came running up. He quickly locked his great sword, a weapon that was nearly twice his size, onto a holster on his back and pulled green-eyes up.

"The thing looks almost dead thanks to Ichiro, then again, so do you." the man said, pulling his great sword back out before picking up some speed to charge at the Barroth.

"Frrrg-" a frustrated grunt came out of the sore man as he scooped his stout sword back up by the hilt. It was just as he had progressed from walk to a limping run that the Barroth's body was know falling towards him.

"Timber! HAHAHA!" a yell boomed out into the open desert followed by a maniacal laugh -all by the man who held a hammer. This was Ichiro.

"Oh god-!" jumping to the side, the sword and shield user had enough time to barrel roll away from the toppling monster.

"Ladies, dinner is on me tonight!" Ichiro announced as he jumped up to stand upon the Barroth's corpse.

"Man, you are such a kill-hog." said the man who was currently sheathing his great sword and wiping away a blotch of mud that had been thrown at him from the fight. Going by the name Siras, he took out a small hunting peg and stabbed it into the Barroth's body, marking the kill. "So how the hell are we gonna drag it back?" he asked absentmindedly.

"We wait for the sand sailors, you idiot." the man with the green eyes said as he stood, holding his side. "All of our kills are on a time-base. That's the new rave about these damn guilds. We're doing their dirty work for an ample reward."

"So much better than hunting locally. Their rewards were worth squat!" Ichiro said jumping down. He approached the man with green eyes and pulled his hand away to view the damage. There was nothing visible, so he simply laughed and smacked his back, throwing the man nearly against the Barroth's body. "Oh Kilk, you can be such a girl, you're fine!" he said with a laugh.

"A girl! You are the one who body smashed me into a pile of boulders! I think I'm allowed to be sore!" the man named Kilk yelled, avoiding face-planting the Barroth's body by throwing his hands out.

"HAH, I did it to save you." Ichiro said with a smirk.

"Hardly!" Kilk volleyed back.

"Hey! You two are fighting like a married couple, how about you act a little more like hunters now since the sand sailers are coming!" Siras interrupted, pointing to a caravan of boats which, literally, were sailing across the sandy plains.

Luckily, the group had managed to kill the monster while it was still dark. After a few days of tracking it and being beat repeatedly by the relentless sun, the one thing the three deserved was a lift back to the city in the cool night breeze. Kilk, looking up, viewed a full moon, it would be a few hours before they'd see that all too familiar ball of fire.

o o o

A rush of water, a quick dodge, a close save. The woman who hunted by water was now amidst a battle. Luckily, it was with an already wounded monster and much to her pleasure, it was the one she had been tracking. A greater and more powerful version of Ludroth, the Royal Ludroth served as a pack leader -if you will. It's long amphibious body was a few times larger than a normal Ludroth and was decorated with a crown of golden scales. It really was majestic looking as it swayed powerfully through the water beneath the lasting moonlight.

The hunter spun just as quickly away from the beast as it took a swipe at her. Seeing a trail of blood follow it, she figured this one wasn't too energized nor was it smart. Upon its crown, there were several hanging pieces of torn skin. It looked as though it unexpectedly ran into something far more powerful than itself.

As the monster took more than a few seconds to readjust itself, the Ludroth was practically advertising signs that it was weak. Generally, hunters would wait until they were on land to see if the monster was displaying a limp or drool in order to determine it's closeness to dying. For water hunters, that luxury was taken from them -thus making the hunter type quite rare. But with this handicap, the water hunters were far more adept and alert. Studying body language and movement was more or less their specialty. There was no saying water hunters were more valuable, only that they were more useful in certain situations.

The woman shifted her weight downward and pushed down until she was standing on the seafloor of the bay. Looking up, she noticed the Ludroth's slight confusion and waited eagerly for it to swim down. It's body movement was simply pathetic, the huntress wondered what had attacked it.

It took a few seconds, but the Royal finally viewed the hunter and began to charge at her. Smirking, the woman waited for the perfect moment and she lunged forward. Pulling her arm back which was equipped with her sword, she stabbed it forward just as the Ludroth opened its toothy mouth. Her arm, now in it's mouth up to her shoulder, held a sword as it was lodged upward into the monster's head -the tip of the blade exiting just barely above the top of the crown.

The monster twitched a few times before it eventually grew still. Completely forgetting she had minimal air once more, the hunter ripped her arm away, sacrificing her skin against its teeth in the process and swam up. Once she was at the surface, she greedily took mouthfuls of air. Sheathing her sword behind her, she bobbed in the water, eyes closed as she allowed her adrenaline to seep out of her skin. The monster she had taken a week to track was finally out of her hair as well as the villages.

Looking up, she noticed that in place of a moon, there was a break in the dawn. The sun was rising. She sighed and swam towards shore. And just as she finally pulled herself up onto land, the sun graciously gave off the magnificence for what this hunter was named for: Light.


	2. Chapter 2 - A Proposition

Chapter 2 - A Proposition for a Crumbling Village

Moga Village, the place of Light's current residence was home to humble fishers and tradesmen. Because the small establishment was built upon docks which extended over the water, it took constant management -sadly, wood didn't put up much of a fight against salt water. The village elder, a crabby old man, refused to move the village further inland, bringing up the point that the sea was what gave the village strength or some nonsense along those lines, almost everyone thought him to be crazy from his nearing expiration date.

Within the populace, there were few women, most of them trader's wives or gatherers -some simply served the purpose to reproduce considering there was a loss of at least four villagers every few months; the waters and surrounding land was somewhat wild and dangerous. Men were generally gone on business of trading or on sea voyages to bring back food or material. The village was nothing special, but it was still running.

It took a few months to get it approved, having to go back and forth between the mothers and the Village Elder, but with the persistence shown, a proposal was made to give Light a job that went beyond her normal hunting duties. Kit, one of the village's few women and also the Moga Shaman, was one of the main heads of those for this idea. Pressuring the Elder, easily done since she was practically his right hand, she eventually convinced him that Light should be the one to take in a select few children and teach them the ways of a hunter.

Some protested, saying their futures lead to them being hunters just as their fathers and others were completely clueless as to what a hunter even did. Eventually, the future of the children of the current generation and Light were intertwined -Light had yet to hear the news.

Stepping foot upon the rickety docks of the village, Light finally returned home carrying a rather large leather bag filled with Ludroth rewards. It took her throwing it down on a woman's shop table for anyone to notice her and her ripped up arm. Some children ran to her, excited for her return and a woman in particular was automatically glued to her side, barking at her for the dangerous looking wound. In reality, Light had barely noticed. She was too involved in stripping parts of the Royal for her to care.

"Light! What on Earth happened?" the woman yelled as the surrounding children dug into the leather sack to find bits of Ludroth.

"Wha? Oh. I guess I hurt myse-" the hunter started, finally looking at her arm, the side looking like it had gone through a meat grinder.

"You GUESS?" the woman barked back, causing Light to have a rather scared look across her face. The woman who was rather displeased was her sister Cahni, and she happened to be scarier than any monster according to Light.

"What! I was hunting and wasn't paying attention! The salt water probably sterilized it anyways, yeesh. No need to freak on me." Light responded carelessly as she ripped away from her sister and stormed off towards their hut.

Flinging her body across one of two beds which looked out to the fisher's docks, Light sighed happily. She was finally home, regardless of her rather rude welcoming home by her worrisome sister. The woman got maybe a minute of light sleep before a body was suddenly atop her and pouring water over her arm.

"Gah! What are you doing?! Cahni!" Light yelled as she struggled to move.

"You need medicine on this! And salt water can make it swell! Besides, there's no telling what was left in that water after you killed that thing!" Cahni yelled as she held her sister's shoulder's down with her knees.

It was maybe a few minutes before Light gave up and just let her sister take care of her. As the two sat together on the bed, Cahni applied some horrible-smelling ointment before wrapping the wounds in a soft cloth.

"You may be a hunter, but you aren't invincible, Light." Cahni said matter-of-factly.

"I know Cahni. You don't have to give me mother's speech every time I come back from a hunt." Light said lowly as she looked out to the water.

"Well, it was the lack of the speech that took dad and mom isn't exactly here to give it to you." Cahni protested. "You'e the only family I have left and I don't intend on-"

"It's a scratch Cahni." Light interrupted, looking her sister in the eyes, her expression telling her to stop.

Cahni sighed and tied off the last bandage. Standing up, the girl with hair and eyes which matched Light's walked over to a chest. Placing her medicines in it, she came back to retrieve Light's gear and put it in the same place. Light also sighed as a thanks and laid back, crossing her good arm over her eyes and letting her body melt into her bed. Cahni bit her lip and walked over to the small furnace in the middle of the hut. Throwing some hollow wood into it, she sat down and warmed herself.

"You don't have to pout Cahni. I have a job, and sometimes it gets dangerous. I wont ever not come home to you though..." Light said, unmoving.

"I know, I just-" Cahni prepared a small speech in her head, but just as she was about to deliver it, she was interrupted by a woman entering the hut.

"Evening." a voice nearly hissed at the two.

Cahni looked up to view the village Shaman, Kit. Naturally beautiful, the woman's cocoa-shaded skin was covered in tribal markings and gold jewelry. Her neckline was decorated with feathers, scales and bones of killed monsters. Her skirt was decorated in the same way, her midsection showing and breasts covered by a silky cloth. She looked shamanistic to say the least plus her attitude to match.

"Evening Kit." Cahni offered politely.

Kit waved her hand in response, her wrists jingling from the large amounts of jewelry she fashioned. "Huntress Light, I have something to speak with you about." she said with a smile.

Light groaned before she turned over, saying few words as a reply, "Maybe later. I'm tired."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I guess the state of the village comes after your beauty sleep in ranks then?" Kit sneered, crossing her arms as she stared the hunter down.

Light bit her lip, hiding her distaste for the woman and forced her body up so that she may view her. "What," she spat out.

Kit smiled in a displeased way, it was forced, if you will, but quickly went on past Light's bad attitude. The thing was -Light and Kit never got along. Kit viewed Light as a mannerless peasant whereas Light viewed her as an entitled witch.

"The village has agreed to make you the honorary Hunter." Kit said, folding her hands in front of her.

"Aren't I that already?" Light retorted sarcastically.

"Well, yes, but you have no _real_ responsibility -as a hunter, that is." Kit said slyly.

"Besides keeping the village that can barely keep itself above water safe on my own? What other responsibility do I need to be considered a real hunter, Shaman?" Light asked, sitting back on her elbows.

"Well, killing monsters mindlessly isn't all a hunter is supposed to do..." Kit said as she neared Light's bed.

"Have you recently written the Hunter's Handbook or am I missing something here? I'm pretty sure if you don't kill for guilds you basically hunt as you please. I only do it with a purpose because I have people I want safe." Light said, glancing to her sister before glueing her ice blue eyes back to Kit's dark chocolate ones.

"Funny. But no." Kit said, turning back around and slowly pacing around the room. "The council has decided to give you specific duties if you would like to continue wielding your sword."

"The council? So, you and and our senile Village Elder, then?" Light said with a laugh.

"You are foolish to speak of our leader this way!" Kit snapped.

Light raised her hands slightly in response, giving off a sly smile. Her sister looked over with a 'what are you doing, stop it!' expression and Light let her playfulness fade away. "What duties have been placed over my head, Shaman?" Light asked, her eyes displaying her distaste for the woman.

Kit adjusted some of her jewelry to the way she liked it before speaking again. She would not look to Light as though she didn't need to. "You are responsible for training our next generation of hunters."

Light stared at the woman in disbelief. Her brow line arched as her lips parted. Sitting up more erect, the hunter placed her elbows on her knees to lean on. "Excuse me?" Light asked in an irritated tone.

"You heard me Hunter. It is your new duty to form these children into what we need, which is more of you... regrettably.

Light glanced from Kit to her sister who had a certain look of horror on her face, then back to the Shaman. "You know the surrounding areas are dangerous. You really cant expect me to just whip up a few hunters!" Light said tensing up.

"Sure I do. The mothers have agreed to place them under your care as needed for them to learn." Kit said, speaking as though she knew everything on the subject of hunting.

"There is no way in hell that I can do that, Kit. Sending a collection of children that haven't left their own village and gathering perimeter to hunt animals that aren't only bigger but also faster, stronger not to mention vicious. That blood is on MY hands if ANY of those kids get killed!"

"They have to learn some day, don't they?" Kit hissed.

"No!" Light boomed as she stood, "No, they are in a fishing and trading village for a reason! Let them grow up to be what they're meant to be!"

"You would deny these kids a sense of fulfillment on the grounds of birthright?" Kit asked angrily.

"On the grounds of safety, and on the grounds of them being spared a death by being eaten!" Light said in frustration. "Leave he village's protection to ME, and me alone, Shaman." Light said as she got in Kit's face.

"You cannot tell the truth in saying you are our sole protector- or that you _like _to be." Kit retorted as Light moved around her. "We need hunters, Light. You are alone in this, and we cannot afford it if you somehow are killed."

Light turned and frowned at Kit, her voice low as she spoke, "It's funny, how you sound like you care. You wouldn't even flinch if I was killed while protecting this village. And it's even worse that you would do the same if those children _died_. I'm pretty sure if I failed to protect any of them the blood and blame would forever be on my head."

Kit stood there, her eyes glaring at Light as she stood strong. "You are the only one capable of training those kids, Huntress. Do it so that you may live on to protect Cahni, at least!"

"How DARE you bring my sister into this. My answer is no, Shaman. Now leave." Light spat at the woman, holding the cloth open for Kit to walk out of their hut through.

"I will have the Elder know that you no longer want the right to hunt then. He will expect you to turn in your weaponry within the next few days.. _ex-Huntress_... Agree to do this and there is no penalty on moral or hunting grounds. Refuse and you will be not only stripped of your rights to hunt and protect us, but also your allowance to live here." Kit said as she walked out.

o o o

Hours of Light stomping around the hut passed as she contemplated her future. As of now, she refused the duty. But the life of her and Cahni was at stake. Fallen asleep by the furnace, Cahni looked so peaceful. Light sighed and brought a fur blanket to throw over her. Cahni was literally the only one Light had to protect and provide for. She couldn't just let her sister uproot from the village and leave. She had friends and was even looking forward to the day she was old enough to start a family.

Light on the other hand had no ambitions of giving birth. She was in no need of a husband. Love was strictly reserved for the hunt. The woman looked across the room to her sword which sat atop her shield. That was her life. And for Kit to simply threaten it took one too many chips out of her back. Light bit her lip, contemplating her decision. Her sister was the greatest influence and it took so much in her to admit that. But the lives of other children? How would Light be able to protect them? How could she defend so much?

As morning crept into the village, Light sat up from a sleepless night. Cahni was already up and out on the bordering gathering grounds assisting the villagers. With each step Light made towards the Elder's hut, she became more and more conscious of her weight and the sound of her own steps across the old wooden docks. Standing before the hut, she noticed a purple smoke sneaking through the cloth used at the door. No doubt it was Kit preforming some spiritual rant to keep the Elder's mind at ease. Light's shaky hand lingered just before the fabrics of the door for a minute. Finally, she pushed them aside and immediately viewed the wrinkled man beside the beautiful Kit. Her eyes opened slowly and sleekly as if she knew something. Light, choking on both her words and the awful smelling smoke, spoke up at last,

"Guarantee my sister will have the comfort of living to see her grandchildren and I will agree to this arrangement." Light said in a low tone to the Elder and Kit.

Looking rather cluelessly bliss, the Elder looked to Kit with a toothless smile. Kit returned the smile with her own secretive one. "Of course..." she said smoothly.

LIght closed her eyes tight and nodded her head. Something in her knew she did the wrong thing, the worst part was that it was for all the right reasons.


	3. Chapter 3 - Begin Again

Chapter 3 - Begin Again

"This place is a total dump. I don't know why we still hunt for them." Siras whined as he leaned back on his chair.

"I don't know about you guys but their food is great!" Ichiro said as some rice spat across the table from his mouth.

Kilk, still a little heated from their last hunt sat at the table with a large goblet of wine. His teeth ground against one another in annoyance as he watched Ichiro scarf his food down.

"I guess. Seeing as how you're on your fourth meal." Siras said with a laugh.

"I'm a hunter, man. I need to eat!" Ichiro said, raising a goblet of the same drink before guzzling it down. Upon finishing, he looked to Kilk and how he seemed rather uptight. "Are you really still mad over me knocking you out of the way? Come on! You have to admit it was a great hit!"

Kilk tensed up and looked away, drinking from his goblet.

"Oh lighten up, Kilk. He was pretty impressive out there. Not to mention he saved our asses." Siras said with a smile, nudging him.

"He was careless. And I may possibly have a bruised rib! How can I be of any use if it hurts to simply run!?" Kilk yelled, slamming his cup down on the wooden table.

Both Siras and Ichiro stared for a moment before bursting into laughter. This only made Kilk leave the table -pretty annoyed.

"Oh come back Kilk, we were only kidding!" Ichiro said with a hearty laugh.

"I'm going to bed. You two enjoy your evening being annoying, boastful, drunkards!" Kilk yelled as he walked off towards the guild housing.

Turning back to view Siras, Ichiro waved his hand and sloppily shifted his weight, "Bah. He'll be fine. Maybe once he has a nap, he wont be as cranky."

Siras only laughed in response, taking a large gulp of his drink.

"So. I heard something about a bigger city farther into the East. Apparently it houses one of the biggest guilds and even has an arena!" Ichiro said, his eyes having a twinkle of excitement in them.

"And let me guess, that's where you wanna go?" Siras asked, leaning on an elbow before taking another drink.

"Hell yeah! I heard that minimum cash rewards were in the 5000's! Talk about scoring big!" Ichiro boomed happily.

"I can't say that sounds like a bad idea to me, the only problem is getting Kilk to agree. You know him. I mean we've only completed... what? two hunts with this guild? Don't we have to complete a minimum to complete the contract?" Siras asked in a low tone.

Leaning to view the Guild's booth behind Siras, Ichiro locked his gaze upon a rather unimpressive member who represented their guard. His lip twitched to the side as he looked back to Siras, "I don't really understand how they could enforce that. What'll they do? Send their sand pirates after us at most?" Ichiro said in a mocking tone.

"I'm not really one who likes to get into confrontation with authority. And knowing Kilk, he's kind of thr princely type, who knows what kind of moral speech he will bestow upon us -making us feel guilty for not only ruining a contract but also a promise blah blah blah..." Siras said as he did his best to imitate Kilk.

"Then we'll cut that part completely out, we'll just have to knock Kilk out and kidnap him." Ichiro said, crossing his arms rather proud of his plan.

Sending his palm at his forehead, Siras made a rather loud 'slap' sound, "We can't capture Kilk like he's a hunt, Ichiro..."

"Can't we?" Ichiro said with a devious smile, "I'm sure if we slip him some tranquilizer he'd wake up in... what? a week?"

"You're insane." Siras said with a laugh before finishing off his drink.

"I mean, what's our other option here?" Ichiro asked, leaning back.

"Uh. We finish what we started like honorable hunters?" Siras asked taking a piece of bread from the basket at the center of the table.

"Yeah, okay Kilk." Ichiro scoffed before looking up to the stars, "Man. I bet that their girls are just as wonderful as their hunts..."

"Careful you might start drooling." Siras said gnawing on his bread.

"But really! We HAVE to go to that city! SOON!" Ichiro said, slamming his fists down on the table, causing a bit of attention.

"Well, all we have to do is complete a few more hunts! Do you even know where this city is?" Siras asked looking at a now blank-stare-giving Ichiro. "...it's name? Any info?" Siras asked a little less inclined to leave now.

Ichiro opened his mouth as to speak but was quickly deemed wordless. His face went from confident to blank to frustrated. "I heard a few of the guys talking about it on the way back from the Barroth hunt. They might know!" Ichiro said, brightening up.

"Oh, that won't look suspicious, 'Hey, what city were you guys talking about? We're thinking about ditching your guild to join theirs' GREAT IDEA."

"We aren't going to tell them that we'r leaving! It'll just be for... future reference." Ichiro said cleverly.

Siras laughed and shook his head, "regardless, we need to know two things: one, how many hunts we have left to fulfill and two, what Kilk even thinks of this plan. You know he'll want a say."

"He won't have a say if he's taking an extended nap..." Ichiro said with a glint in his eyes.

o o o

The hour only grew later and Ichiro had finally crawled his way back to his guild housing unit. The man could practically taste the glory of money and rewards as he thought of the city he aspired to venture to. The current problem was that Kilk and Siras seemed to be on the same side which wasn't his own. The group did everything together, coming from the same Village, practically bred to be land hunters, the three were not only inseparable but powerful as a team. Sure, they had eventual hiccups and even bickered with one another over menial things, but over all, they were the hunters that always stuck together, they could even be brothers if they maybe shared the same genetic make-up.

Eventually drifting off, the hunter found himself not awakening until late the next day. Siras and Kilk sat together at the same table, talking over a rather greasy looking meal. Sitting down with in a hungover daze, Ichiro reached for the closest piece of food, absentmindedly placing it in his mouth.

"So. There's a new list of hunts they need completed today. I'm sure if we are diligent, we could complete our contract by the end of the month." Kilk said in an oddly cheerful tone.

Looking up, Ichiro glanced at Kilk before looking to Siras who only shrugged, "The end of the _month_?" Ichiro repeated almost annoyed.

"Hey, you were the one celebrating that they pay better than local hunting while you danced on top of a dead Barroth." Kilk said, ignoring Ichiro's sleepy glare and stabbed his knife into a piece of meat.

Ichiro's eye twitched as he felt somewhat annoyed for almost no reason. Maybe he was still drunk, or maybe it was just too early to talk about hunting. Whatever it was, Ichiro was suddenly in a bad mood -perhaps it was caused by Kilk's good one.

"That doesn't sound too bad, right Ichiro?" Siras asked, putting emphasis on his name as to not start another altercation.

"Peachy." Ichiro said before grabbing a plate and walking back to his hut.

"What's his deal?" Kilk asked as he placed a piece of meat in his mouth.

"No Idea." Siras said, staying quiet. He figured telling kilk about the drunken conversation from the previous night would only make things worse. In all honesty, Siras was pretty content with the uncomfortable peace between his two party members.

"Well, if he's still too tired to hunt, what do you say we grab one?" Kilk asked with a cheerful look on his face.

"And leave Ichiro?" Siras asked with a frown. " We can't just not tae him Kilk. You know that. He'd be downright pissed. Plus, no offense but uh... we kind of _need_ him."

"Need him?" Kilk repeated, "-need him for what? To knock us around with his over-sized tool? He can be such a show off some times, I swear." Kilk said in a rather prude tone.

"Yeah, well, you aren't exactly easy to hunt with either you know..." Siras said rolling his eyes.

Careful to not take offense, Kilk took a swig of his drink and slammed it down on the table before standing, "Fine. I'll go talk to him, and make him join us. Just go sign us up for something good."

Entering Ichiro's hut, Kilk crossed his arms at the man who was picking at his food as he sat on his bed.

"Can I help you, your highness?" Ichiro sneered, not looking up.

"Siras thinks you're too valuable to not bring along on a hunt. I disagree, but we do need our third member." he admitted.

"There's a city out there, and it has way better pay." Ichiro said half-heartedly.

"What." Kilk said in a low tone.

"It's a far better established city. Top Guild in the land. They even have multiple arenas." Ichiro explained, finally looking up.

"And I care _why_?"

"Because this place is shit in comparison. And we need the money."

"Well, the second we fulfill our contract, we will go to your city. It was your idea to come here in the first place, Ichiro."

"I say we go now." he said, narrowing his gaze into Kilk's emerald one.

"HAH. We're under a contract with this guild Ichiro. We can't just 'go now,' you know that."

"We can run. What's the most they'll do? Fine us?"

"That's exactly what they'll do. And possibly get us banned from hunting with other guilds or buying from shops. They be some mom-and-pop guild Ichiro, but I'm sure they have connections. Not to mention Siras is buying us a hunt right now."

"Why? so we can make back what we spent? If you look at it we aren't really getting anything out of this Kilk, plus we-" Ichiro stopped, an idea slithering into his brain.

Kilk raised his eyebrows, somewhat expecting him to finish, "Plus we...?"

"We have a hunt ready right?"

"Yes?"

"Well, that is our escape!" Ichiro exclaimed excitedly. "I mean, that's how most guilds make money right? Us playing them is just insurance which also covers basic items we need for the hunt. But when a hunter dies on a quest, they keep that deposit."

"So what?"

"So, for all they know, we could have died. I mean, I'm pretty sure the hunting grounds don't have a limit. We can just leave the perimeter and they'll come back to find us not there!"

"And you don't think they'll look for the bodies?" Kilk asked sarcastically.

"Why would they?" asked Ichiro, frustrated.

"I don't know- but still! We don't even now if there's a way to get to the city from their grounds. What and where is this city anyways? I don't even know why I'm asking because this idea is so dumb, but please, enlighten me." Kilk said, crossing his arms again.

"Well... I-"

"You have no idea. Am I right?" Kilk asked, knowing well that he was.

"I heard it was in the East. Some of the sand sailers were talking about it on our way back to town and it sounded like a worthwhile trip." Ichiro said looking away.

Kilk was never really one to expect any of his members of lying to him. He more or less trusted both of them with his life. Part of him wanted to slap Ichiro awake from this city-fantasy he was in. But... another part of him already believed him. Kilk knew better than anyone that coming to this guild was a bad idea. They hadn't made more than 200z in the past few weeks. The were expensive hunts and cheap rewards. The only nice part was the free meals and housing -which seemed to be how anyone even got sucked into hunting for them in the first place. Sighing, Kilk loosened his crossed arms and pat the top of Ichiro's head at to lighten the mood with some humor.

"There, there, child. Don't cry."

Ichiro, seconds away from punching Kilk in his bruised rib, whipped his head away and glared at him while he turned around and headed for the door.

"Okay." Kilk said simply.

"Okay what." Ichiro grunted.

"I'm not too happy about the poor rewards either. Maybe a hunter's funeral is just what we need."

"Wait -really?" Ichiro asked in disbelief.

"We're a team, Ichiro, not an autocracy. Come one now." Kilk smiled.

Despite all that happened with the previous hunt, Kilk had no real hard feelings. As stated before, the three of them were like brothers. There wasn't much that could really get between them. Not to mention there was no team if one of them was miserable. Hunting is what they loved, their weaponry and armor to prove it. But, truth be told, Kilk was pretty unhappy with the horrible guild choice. He couldn't exactly say he was one to run away from a contract, but if it meant that the group would be happier doing what they were, then maybe it was time to skip the moral act and do greater things.

o o o

It was maybe an hour later that the three were stepping onto yet another sand sailer. The three were all going on the hunt as said, but they had other plans in mind. Surprisingly, Ichiro was able to bring up the conversation about the city as easily as he had eavesdropped on it.

"Ohhh, you mean Shan-Hii City? Yeah, I've only heard stories about how beautiful it is. In the East, I believe. They're supposed to have some real good hunts." one of the men said, yanking on a rope as he set the sails.

"I heard they have a girl in every room, waiting for you to be pamper when you come home from a hunt." another man said, practically salivating over the thought.

"One of the best Arena fighters resides there, they say she's really unbeatable." another man added.

Ichiro, now fantasizing over the city, was suddenly asked the million-dollar question.

"Why are you so interested in Shan-Hii?"

Ichiro sat up and smiled, "Just trying to map out our next city. We don't like to not have a plan once we complete a guild contract." he said smoothly. "That is if we even make it through this quest! That damned Barroth nearly killed us last time!" he chuckled.

The suspicious crew seemed to become less tense after Ichiro's explanation. As soon as the winds picked up, the group was in the camp in no time. The group was soon left by the sailers and that was when they all gathered around the campfire. It was nearing night time, meaning unless they had a way of concealing several hot drinks, their journey would be all kinds of difficult.

"So we have about a week before they come back for us." Siras said, setting his pack down and crouching before the barbecue spit in front of him. "And by the looks of it, we're going to have about three days worth of nightfall."

"So we need to be well out of the way or away from any sand the could get to. Ichiro, hand me a map?" Kilk said pointing to him as he shuffled through a large blue chest, within a minute, he tossed a tattered map to him.

"They said it was east of here." Ichiro said as he took out three hot drinks, handing one to each of the group members.

"Right. These maps only display the hunting grounds. But so long as we can get out of the tracked areas plus some, we can put a good distance between the guild and us."

"What about when they find no bodies?" Siras brought up.

"That's where the Jaggia come in. They are carnivores. We could have easily been killed by them."

"And our stuff?" protested Siras.

"We'll have to sacrifice a bag, rip it up a little, they have to believe we died." Kilk offered.

"Bought an extra sack just for that." Ichiro said, revealing a leather bag and tossing it at Siras.

"Smart. What happens when they find no weapons though?" Siras challenged yet again.

"We're gonna have to rely on the fact that they'd been lost somewhere amidst battle. Or that they're too lazy to look." Kilk said with a sigh.

Sitting down and munching on a piece of jerky, Ichiro pointed to the map, "Last time, thats where the Jaggia nested. One stop there to drop the bag and we head out."

"Sounds like a plan. We all need some good strength though. Eat up your rations and get some warm liquid in you. Can't be dying of hypothermia on our way to bigger and better things now can we?" Kilk chuckled, taking a sip of the hot liquid.

"You know- all this is is hot water with herb and honey. Those things aren't too hard to find so long as we have a way to make a fire." Siras said usefully.

"Well. it seems like this journey wont be too bad after all." Kilk said, grinning at his team.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Balance

Chapter 4 - The Balance

There were seven total -children, in Light's eyes. They were all well over the age of 14, but all the same, they were babies. Light came to agree with the Elder and his Shaman that the generation she was teaching to hunt would not only learn how to hunt but also how to respect the ways of a hunter. Light was no slash and kill type. She appreciated every monster and how it kept the eco system running. There was no safety net in hunting -you get rid of one component and you are at risk of bringing the balance of nature down into the ground.

It was the early hours of the morning when Light woke. At a camp not far off from the village, she stared down at a group of sleeping kids. Looking up, she viewed the walls of the cave that the establishment ha been built into as a safe haven for hunters. It was definitely new, they had built it in preparation for Light's teaching.

Walking over to a large blue box, she pulled a horn from it. It was so textbook. The way her village built the camp. It was as if they hired a guild to make it. One could easily tell everything was traded though. Because Moga Village had a direct trade route to Shan-Hii, they were able to get their hands on what professional hunters used -for a price that is. Clearly, Light's village had spent a little over their budget. Some of the equipment was pristine, and more than half of it was probably from a bargain shop.

She looked over to one of the younger boys who slept with his hunting knife beside him. Picking it up, she noticed its dull edge and sighed. This was not how you make hunters. If one were to throw these kids out into the wild they'd be killed instantly. Half, if that, of these weapons might be able to kill an herbivore, and even that was wishful thinking.

Putting the knife down by the child once more, Light sat on the blue chest and began to hit her shield with her sword. Immediately, the children began to wake, their drowsy faces turning up towards their mentor slowly. Waiting for them all to wake up, she hopped down to her feet and began to circle them as though they were her prey.

"Already you failed," she started, rather harshly. "Just because you're at a comp doesn't make you safe. When you are out, you cannot be in a deep sleep. You have to wake your body up and be ready to attack the second the grass starts moving."

With her starting speech, the teens became more alert, their eyes widening as they tried to have a better grip on their beginner's weapons.

Light sighed, seeing their fear, "As a hunter, you are going to learn how to identify, search, and even memorize your surrounding area in a matter of seconds. If you aren't on par with the way a monster hunts, you should not be hunting it," she paused, crossing her arms, "Everyone stand up."

Immediately, the shuffle of leather boots and the clanging of cheap weapons combined and only brought light more disappointment. She rubbed in between her eyes and groaned. She tried to picture her sister happy with little children running around her to remotely keep her focused.

How many of you even know what kind of weapons you're holding?" Light asked. Surprisingly, several hands went up, she pointed to one rather scrawny boy who held a sword three times his size, "You."

"W-well. Mine's a great sword, right?" he said, almost terrified to meet his teacher's hard glare.

"If you second guess your weapon, you should not wield it. You answer me with assurance that you can use it or you can march your asses right back to the village." she snapped, "You!" she said pointing to another.

"It's a sword and shield."

"What class."

"Bone, ma'am."

Light nodded her head once, walking around, she continued to point at the last speaker, "_That_ is how you answer me. Lucky for all of you, there are only two types of weapons supplied. And all are bone -or Hunter class if you want to be lazy. You either have a sword and shield, obvious by the two separate pieces of you're carrying. Or, you have a great sword -identified as such for its large size. For each, you will use them as such," Light said, throwing her sword and shield aside and taking up one of the scared teen's. "They are a part of you. You do not EVER pursue a hunt if you are not in tact." she said, getting into a defensive stance. "You don't ever leave your house naked, just as you never leave camp unequipped."

o o o

"Again!" yelled Light as she charged one of her students with her shield. "A Barroth will not stop when you need a break. You use your sword as a shield!"

The young man flinched at her yelling and somehow managed to block her with his feeble strength and pathetic lifting of his great sword. Light turned and charged him from behind, catching him off guard and knocking him a few feet back. Panting, the boy struggled to get both himself and the great sword up. Assisting him, Light yanked him up by his arm and allowed him to join the group which watched intently.

"Next." she growled.

A sword and shield wielder was the one who responded to her call. Getting into a rather stiff stance, Light charged. To her surprise, the boy was able to not only block but also take a slash at Light. Its weak and pathetic metal simply bounced right off her shield of course, but it was an admirable move all the same.

"Good! Take swings! Hit when you can! There's no grace period!" Light yelled, running at the kid again, bashing him with her shield. Blocking her with his own, he skid back and lunged forward, making another hit. "Again!" she yelled, throwing her weight forward and getting more impressive moves out of the boy.

It was a few more hits until he was out, flat on his rump. Light, rather than yanking him up, offered her hand. She was clearly impressed with some of the progress they had made over the past few days. For a minute she actually thought that this whole training thing might not be all that hard. She would have to see though, the hunter had yet to take them out into the wild or even worse, the water.

There as really no way to amount the fear Light had of failing to protect these kids. They were all someone to someone else. A son, a brother, even a daughter was in Light's shadow. The woman finally decided that they were ready to see outside the camp, this, in her opinion was her biggest mistake.

o o o

Stepping onto the fields outside Moga territory, Light felt a sense of unease. Following close behind her were the many children she swore to turn into valuable Hunters. All stood with a raised chest and determined look in their eyes. It was easy to tell that they were not at all prepared. In stead, they were more inclined to prove themselves to Light.

Looking back, she viewed her seven students: six boys and a young girl. All clad in crude armor and wielding hand-me-down weaponry simply tossed away in the city of Shan-Hii and bought for a low price. As a dreary wind passed through, Light heard a small pat of feet coming from the opposite side of the creek which ran quietly through the field.

She turned, a simple Jaggi -a scrawny reptilian land monster who instinctually ran head-first into battle. She had no real issue with introducing her students into fighting it. After their week-worth of training , they deserved to kill something more than an herbivore.

Kotar, Hilo. You think you can take him?" Light asked with a smirk.

Once the Jaggi even noticed the group, it let out a hiss or sorts before starting to venture over. The scaled bird did little to assess the situation and see that it was out-numbered and began to come at them in a full sprint.

The two Light had requested stepped forward, standing maybe a few feet away from the group, clearly trying to play it safe, thus causing their mentor to yell, "You do not wait for him to come to you! Go after it -now!"

Kotar and Hilo looked at one another, passing a scared look before looking to the charging Jaggi. Simultaneously, they both took off, Hilo, the one sporting a sword and shield began to hit his shield and make noise as to distract it.

"Good! Disorient it!" Light cheered.

"Come on!" Yelled Hilo as he began to steady his noise making with staying out of the Jaggi's line of fire. It was now turning into a dance which Light had taught them over and over again.

At Hilo's excellent performance, Kotar stepped in. Great sword above his head, he swung downward at the Jaggi. Sadly he was too slow. The Jaggi, turning it's head constantly at the sound of Hilo's drumming had spotted his partner and dodged fluidly.

Frustration began to rise and Hilo quit the music act. Swinging almost blindly, he tried to land a hit. Clearly the two did not understand how a partnership worked, nor did they see that Jaggis were irritatingly fast. Soon, the lack of effort turned into Kotar knocking Hilo over and putting both of them at a disposition.

"Get back on your feet!" Light boomed across the field.

Quickly, Hilo scrambled and suffered a scratch across the arm as payment for his lack of foot placement. Kotar began to swing again, finally landing a lucky one and throwing the Jaggi off-balance. Immediately, the two began to swing their weapons upon the creature. It squirmed for its life until a fatal blow from Kotar's great sword landed upon its scrawny neck, killing it instantly.

The two boys looked up to see a rather displeased Light who clapped simply to clear the silence. Walking across and stomping her feet into the creek to meet them, she took hold of Hilo's arm to assess the damage. She scoffed and let go of him.

"Your first scratch, congrats."

Still somewhat unsure of how to take the compliment, Hilo let a squeak of a thank-you escape his lips. He looked down to the dead monster and frowned before speaking in a more audible tone, "T-Teacher, what do we do with this?" He asked, using his blade to point at the Jaggi.

After waving the rest of the group over, Light smiled, hands on her hips. "Well, since it was Kotar's actual kill, he gets to bring back its head and feet. Since the both of you assisted in the damage, you both may take whatever you can scrape off its bones, home." Light gave the dead monster a little kick before stepping over it and walking -the rest of the group to follow, "Have at it boys."

She glanced back to see two rather shocked and scarred students. It was a minute before they had snapped out of their daze and began to cut into the Jaggi's flesh. No Hunter's first kill was pretty. It was a hard thing to register, you were now starting a life where you kill to bring home some meat and pretty scales -at least that's what the local hunters were trained for. Light didn't like that though, she killed when necessary. She killed to protect her village and to provide occasional income. She knew there was a peace to keep though - and that was the most important part. There was no way to teach a Hunter that. It took a realization and an appreciation. They had to _want_ it, they had to see what the true harm of over-hunting could do and they had to grasp the fact that they were a very important part in maintaining the balance.


	5. Chapter 5 - A Hunter's Mark

Chapter 5 - A Hunter's Mark

There were many more days that passed where Light's student's would practice hunting Jaggi. Where some practiced the skill of holding a weapon, others trained themselves in being quick and capable of taking down a Kelbi to safely remove its horns. There was a variety of ways Light wanted her students to learn -and as time passed, they did.

Eventually, they learned to address Light without stuttering her name, they knew that each kill was to be skinned, and they learned how to work together. Not only was Light trying to make them pair up when hunting, but she was also trying to get them to realize everyone needed back-up. She didn't want any hunter-in-training losing to some fight with an enraged monster. She was responsible for all of their lives and the more strength they would gain, the more comfortable she felt venturing out further and further to hunt.

"Water! The single most powerful element we have chosen to adapt our lives to..." Light began, standing at the edge of a small cliff. Occasionally, the waves would crash, bringing forward that salty smell they were all raised with. "The sea is not only dangerous, but it's also unpredictable. Endlessness brings many things to our Village. It brings us our food, our minerals, sometimes it brings us our family when they are ready to come home -but just as it brings the good things we have in life, it can also bring what we don't really want." Light turned enough to glance out to the rolling waves which came from an ongoing picture of blue, she held her arm out behind her and spoke to her students once more, "It is here where the dangers lurk. Where everything that does and does not threaten our Village lives. We are responsible for keeping our home safe, we are not responsible for bringing home trophies. You remember that and I guarantee the hunt will be much more fulfilling to you."

Light let her hand fall slowly back to her side. Something within her made her heart beat faster. She wasn't all too sure as to how training these hunters in the water would be, but it was what she was the most familiar with. There was a time that Light needed to let go of seeing them as children and finally view them as hunters. She supposed the inner conflict came from raising her sister on her own since the death of their parents as well as her not distant enough past. No hunter was ever ready in her eyes. Today though, she had to forget that.

o o o

Once the woman had finished her speech of warning, bodies dove into the water. She decided the clear area of the bay would be best to start them off in. The most they'd run into was a Sharq or two, a Ludroth if they were to be so unlucky.

A majority of the time, Light coached them on simple water hunting etiquette, where to draw air from if they were stuck in under water caves, how to hold their breath, the correct way of pursuing the surface in case of lack of air, how to swim with weapons sheathed and unsheathed... There was plenty to learn, much to memorize, but the true beauty of being a water hunter wasn't seen until actually done.

Light felt the same butterflies she had felt her first full water hunt as she watched her students duck under and start to swim. She couldn't help but feel the joy she used to, she was letting go. There were few who struggled with staying near the ground but eventually the constant repetition made them almost as familiar with the sea as Light was.

Lucky enough, they only were joined by a herd of Epioth, which Light insisted they only take note of. They were simply there to keep their sacred ocean clean. The point of the Huntress taking them into the water was to get them acclimated. Today was a day to appreciate the ways of a water hunter, it was a day of memorizing the ways a body can be manipulated and trained to use the sea as a strength rather than see it as something to be feared.

Light could even swear that if she were born with gills she could reside there. Her students would watch in awe as she swam with a fluid ease. Her body moved as though it was meant to be in the water at all times. Her legs would move in the act of a fin and her arms were hardly used. Occasionally, a student would try to swim with her, but in desperation to keep up, they'd eventually fail.

Although the woman could stay this way for days, just enjoying the warmth of the sun hitting the tropical water, the way the white sand created a beautiful sparkle, but amidst the endless wonders the ocean brought.. all bliss must some day come to an end.

All it took was a glint that was far too out of the ordinary to have Light quickly whip her body around with her weapon in hand. Her heart began to race at an uncomfortable speed while she looked around her, counting every body that was in the water with her.

"_One-two-three-four-five... six-sev...en._" the hunter found all of them there, but something made her skin crawl. The eight of them were far from alone. Motioning to all of them that they needed to head to the surface, she kept a watchful eye. It took a split second though -not long at all for her worst fear to come to life.

o o o

Upon turning her head, the familiar combination of beautiful scales flashed right before her face. A large body pushed right past her to snatch the leg of one of the students. There was something close to a scream that echoed under the water and light was already after the beast. Catching up to it in no time, the hunter took out her blade and stabbed it right into the tough skin above a Royal Ludroth's hind leg.

Letting go of the student, it's attention quickly diverted to Light and her harsh move against it. Rather than feeling scared for her own life, Light glared right back at the creature. Just as it was starting to turn its body to snap at her, she grit her teeth and pulled the blade downward, literally ripping a large hole into its flesh.

The monster let out a call of sorts and began to throw its body in any and all directions to shake the hunter off. Light moved enough to hook her legs around the top of its tail and held on. As it thrashed about, Light kept stabbing her blade into his lower body. She would have gotten carried away if it weren't for her remembering that there was a child free-floating away from her, unconscious from both shock and blood loss.

Once Light felt like the Ludroth was cut into enough to where it would flee, she pushed off and sheathed her blade. Scooping the child's body by hooking her arm under both of his, she swam with every ounce of power she had. She was confident she'd even reach the rocks where her other students remained but she wasn't so lucky.

Finding the surface, she gasped for air. Pushing the boy up, she barked at the other students to pull him out. They obeyed and all assisted in taking him from Light and out of the water. Panting, Light was able to pull as much as her upper body out onto the rocks before she was ripped back into the water.

All of their hearts stopped at the same time, seeing Light disappear in the matter of a second. Frantically, Hilo began to yell at the others to get the unconscious boy back to the Village. The remaining few stayed behind, eagerly awaiting their teacher to resurface. Things weren't playing on those grounds though, for Light was in a mess of her own.

o o o

It took a minute for Light to come to, being under the water for maybe a few seconds, she finally woke up to see the Royal coming after her. Coughing into the water, she managed to roll to the side, pulling her weapon out from thankfully sheathing it previously. The Ludroth swiftly moved past her. Even with a defective leg, the creature could navigate the waters no problem. On a strike of luck, Light managed to submerge, gasping for air, she viewed the amateur hunters with looks of horror across their faces. Just as a wave crashed over her head, she managed to scream the word 'run' at them.

Back under the water, Light was face to face with her current enemy. Enraged, it opened and locked its jaw, zooming towards her. The hunter pushed off the rocks she was so close to and dodged the attack. Once she was in any position to ready herself, the most she could do was block the Ludroth's next attack with her shield, it acting as a stint between her flesh and his teeth.

Struggling, Light took her sword and swiped it at the opening of the Royal's jaw, this creating a crude slit and a cloud of blood. The Ludroth recoiled in response, curling its head into its body for a moment. The monster struggled to keep focus, its enraged nature becoming even more intense than it previously was. Realizing she might have had made a mistake, the huntress watched it carefully as she put distance between herself and him.

Using one of her most useful skills as a hunter, Light acted in a very last minute fashion. Upon frantically looking around, she noticed the same cave mouth from her previous fight with a Royal Ludroth. Sheathing her weapon, she swam as her life depended on it. It took fighting both the current and the urge to look back to see how far away she was from the powerful monster.

It had nearly caught her foot in its mouth by the time Light pulled herself into the under water cave. Taking all of her remaining strength, she pulled herself against the opposite flow. Her fingers clawed into the rock as she pulled her own weight. Finally getting to a point where she didn't have to fight the power of the ocean's suction, she emerged in a small air pocket.

The hunter gasped and rested her body limply against the damp rock wall. It was pitch black, but she could tell what the mass amount of pain was coming from. Hardly touching her thigh, she felt a pattern of deep cuts into her bare flesh. As to not scream, Light bit her lip and cried under her breath. After feeling around the small cave she resided in, Light began to travel towards an opening. She knew she had been here before. The waist deep water was all too familiar. Dragging her leg, it took maybe an hour of her being in agony before there was a gleam of hope. Hearing the sweet sound of rushing water, Light knew she had found the waterfall which guarded the cave's opening.

Throwing herself into the shallow pool of water, she finally gave herself a moment to breathe. As the fresh water cleansed her of all the salt, she couldn't resist taking a mouthful and washing out her raw throat. A second passed and Light began to violently cough.

Pushing herself up, Light looked across the quiet field. She had ventured back to a safe zone, thankfully. Rolling over from her stomach to her side, she finally saw the damage done to her thigh. Having nothing on her to fix it, Light stood with a painful cringe going across her face. She only was thankful that she wasn't about to carry an unconscious boy as well as her own near-dead weight.

As the Hunter slowly gained enough tolerance to the pain, she finally found a way to limp and run towards the village. The last thing she wanted was to smell like fresh blood while outside the Village boarders. As she made her best efforts to return home, there was a question or two pressing against her mind. Why was there _another_ Ludroth in the safe zone of the bay? And why on earth was it Royal? Generally they liked the swampy and muddy areas of the water which were deeper into the mountains. Light knew that they could swim in salt or fresh water, but they generally stayed where food was, which is murky water.

Regardless of her confusion and want for answers, her first priority was in knowing her student was alright. Upon finally reaching the village, she would soon find out.

o o o

It was a minute before anyone would notice Light's return. There was a mess of people gathered around a boy who lay on the docks, who he was with was somewhat of a shock to Light though. His head, elevated by the lap of her younger sister, Cahni, the boy was kept calm by her hand running through his hair. As others made an effort to keep his body still, he was enduring not only the pain of being ripped open by a Ludroth, but also the agony of a crude needle being shoved through his skin to stitch it up. Surprisingly, he held it together enough to let them repair his wound, occasionally though, he would jolt from them hitting tender areas.

Cahni, finally looking up to seeing her sister peering over at the boy, gasped.

"Light!" she called out, doing her best to not move from beneath the young man.

He, along with everyone else looked up to see a rather beaten hunter who simply smiled to them all. She pushed through the villagers and sat on her knees beside the boy. He smiled weakly up to her and put a hand up, his entire arm shaking. Light responded to this with what was a traditional gesture in their community. Touching the back of her hand to his, she let out a small laugh, her entire body over flowing with gratitude that he was alive.

"Light, what happened?" Cahni said, breaking the moment.

The hunter shook her head, finally looking to Cahni, "I thought I saw the last of a Royal for a while. Apparently, it had a mate." she offered.

"That and your sister is foolish to teach these students in the water." a voice boomed from outside the circle. Kit, looking rather displeased, had a hand on her hip before she pointed to the Huntress. "We have had countless hunters die in the sea, have you _of all people _not learned the risk of being a water hunter?" she hissed.

"I'm sorry, I thought I was teaching children how to hunt. If you think you can do it better, by all means, the responsibility is yours, Shaman." Light snapped back.

Kit scoffed and brought more attention to herself by raising her voice, "Not only did your father die to the rage of the sea and its inhabitants, but also your husband! You think maybe you could change your habits and teach them to hunt on the grounds which we are more acclimated to?"

Light stood, placing herself right before Kit, her voice turning to a low growl, "Once again Shaman, you bring my family into a conversation in which they do not belong. You asked me to teach a group of children who wouldn't know danger if it threatened to take their teeth, so I am. I teach them my way, or you can take up a sword and start to slay beasts twenty times your size... yourself." Light backed away and turned to limp back to her hut, "Dishonor my family once more and your head will be used to feed a Leviathan."

Kit watched in a state of shock as the hunter left the area. After a moment, she scoffed and returned to her own home, not only angered, but also embarrassed.

o o o

Cahni entered the hut which belonged to her sister and her and viewed the back of a woman who she counted as her world. Light, facing the open end of their hut which looked out to a bay flooded with boats, was doing her own handy work upon her wound.

Cahni bit her lip and lightly tapped the wood of their home as to allow herself in, "Light?" she asked gently.

The hunter turned to view her baby sister and smiled, hiding her world of hurt from the one person she trusted most, "Since when do you knock before entering?" Light said with a chuckle.

Cahni smiled, her sister's light laugh making her feel slightly less distanced, "I don't know -figured you wanted to be alone after... _that._" she muttered before crossing the hut to sit on the bed beside Light's, "Want some help with that?" she asked, watching her sister's trembling hands try to repair the damage done by the Ludroth.

"Please-" Light whispered as her sister sat beside her and took up the needle she used to stitch her own skin.

"The boy is fine. We aren't sure of him being able to walk again, but he has you to thank for the air that still passes through his lungs." Cahni said, trying to comfort her older sister.

"You act like mom used to -you're so quick to care for a stranger." Light said with a smile as she watched her sister's hands.

"He's hardly a stranger Light, Nico is my age." she said with a blush.

"Your age and...?" Light teased.

"Don't taunt me! You know I've liked Nico for a long time..."

Light couldn't help but laugh, "Right, right. He was the boy that brought you a fruit wrapped in a bow!" she continued.

"You know I can give you stitches that won't heal pretty!" Cahni threatened, her face a light shade of pink from the embarrassment.

"I guess I sort of forgot seeing them as anything but young children who wanted to kill things." Light admitted. "I took them out to the water simly because I thought it was safe. I wanted them to know that being a Hunter was more than the killing. It's an appreciation for the earth." Light sighed, falling on her back and covering her face with her hands. "Muhhh I'm a terrible teacher, Cahni." Light groaned through her hands.

Cahni sighed, continuing to sew into her sister's skin, "You are not. If you were a terrible teacher, most of those kids' bodies would've been food for the Ludroth and you'd be returning home with its head as a trophy of another kill." Cahni looked to her sister and smiled. "Nobody died today Light. And they all wouldn't stop talking about how you didn't think twice about saving Nico. If anything, you're a _devoted_ watcher."

Light sighed, "I guess. It'll be over my head for the rest of my life if Nico cannot walk properly again, though."

"I promise you sister, Nico is happy to see his family again. He is also grateful to you for what you did. His ability to walk is the least of his problems. Besides -maybe now he'll go on to do something other than hunting." Cahni said matter-of-factly.

"I guess that's something to be thankful for." Light said trying to feel better.

"I only wish a Ludroth would bite you too hard that you'd give it up too." Cahni said tying off the thread and breaking it from Light's stitches. "There."

"That'll happen when I'm killed by one." Light smirked as she sat up.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." Cahni glared.

Light grinned and tossed her body to the side, "I'm sleeping the rest f the day." she grunted.

"Good. I'd rather you _not_ get some disgusting infection in that wound." Cahni growled before heading towards the door.

"Cahni." Light called without looking to her. "You won't ever lose me. _I promise._"

Cahni smiled before looking down, "I know Light." she said simply before stepping out.

o o o

Cahni knew better than anyone that a Hunter could never really change their ways. It was impossible. A Hunter was more or less born with it in them -it was known as 'A Hunter's Mark.' They either grew to have a normal life, or they didn't. Light not only watched their father, the man she looked up to most, hunt and spread his undying love for the lifestyle, but she even went on to marry a man who shared the same passion.

She loved Light with all that was in her. She would support whatever decision the woman made. She knew Light had valiant reasons to continue her dangerous lifestyle. Light strove to keep her small village safe, she wanted to provide for Cahni. Light also battled an internal imbalance. One part of Light wanted to hunt in the name of guarding all that she had left, and the other... was more or less for revenge.


	6. Chapter 6 - Light

Chapter 6 - Light

It was a beginning to another wonderful Summer day. The ocean tides were well enough to fish and play in. Women of the Moga Village would rise early and complete their chores as they kissed their men off to sea. Children ran about the docks upon finishing what ever could be required of them before diving right into the warm tropical water.

One of the women who wished her mate a farewell with the brush of the lips and a small rub between noses was Light. Far before she became what she is now, the woman was simply glowing, and it wasn't because the sun hit her hair and eyes at just the right angle. Almost at the six-month mark, Light had a bare, bulging stomach, keeping another life safe and sound. A Moga native, Nabari, as others called him, placed his hands over her abdomen as a proud gesture before setting off not with the fishers, but Light's Father. Summer was a Hunter's favorite season to bring back bountiful amounts of sea creatures for both feast and trade. It was almost drastic, the way Moga Village felt so alive that season.

Upon losing their mother at a younger age to a terrible sickness, Light, Cahni, and their father, Gonai had lived to the fullest they could. Cahni and Gonai both eagerly awaited the child Light and Nabari had planned to welcome into the world not long after their ceremony of marriage. Light was to name the child after their mother, Lunan, if it were a girl, and if it were the opposite, his name was yet to be decided. They all anticipated the arrival of a girl so much that 'Luna' was how they referred to Light's bulging stomach.

"Be safe. And try not to come home with a hole in your body, okay?" Light asked, looking up to the man she loved most.

Nabari, a tanned islander man smiled down as his hands rested on the sides of her swollen stomach, "I can try." he said with his intoxicating, deep voice.

Light smiled softly and traced the lines of his black tribal markings, "I suppose that's all I could ask." she muttered before she stood up tall to plant a gentle kiss over his lips.

"See you before sundown." Nabari said as he pulled away, joining up with her father to step into a small boat of their own.

Light watched with the same love-struck smile, one hand over her stomach and the other slightly in the air as she waved to her husband and father.

Finally turning to see Cahni, she placed her arm out as to drape it over her shoulder. The gilr had just barely hit puberty and already, she was stunning much like her sister was. Light pulled her close as they watched all of the village men slowly part from the docks to meet the ocean.

o o o

The day was filled with simple, easy tasks as to prepare for another perfect fishing day. Light, doing domestic things such as helping spread leather pads down and repairing baskets which had seen a long spring of minimal catches. The summer was the Village's peak season and the villagers always were excited to greet it.

"You are only six months? You look like you're about'ta pop!" a village woman with leathery skin due to her one too many days in the sun laughed.

"I feel like it," Light laughed whole-heartedly. "Somehow, I managed to choose one of the larger men of all the Moga. This baby is going to be bigger than me before it starts walking!" she smiled, pushing some whicker into a pattern on a basket.

"Ohh you bet it. At least your man will be handsome for years to come. May he bless you with many beautiful babies." the woman grinned, stitching into her own basket.

These were the days that no one could ever tack on to Light if they hadn't known her. Now a cold, distant Hunter, the woman used to be so full of life and optimism. She was involved and loved by almost every villager. Her smile was contagious and her small family was looked up to. Every day was a new wonder and Light couldn't even dream of missing out.

o o o

It had been almost a week into the summer season and as predicted, the Village was shipping out more than they could keep in sea foods and materials. Boats, every day would sail to the gilded city: Shan-Hii, trading and selling. On top of their normal fishing and mining trades, Nabari and Gonai brought back such magnificent, exotic rewards. Off-breeds of Sharq, hyde and scales from Ludroth, even some of the larger fish that were considered deep-sea dwellers looked too impressive to eat or sell. The two hunted with a passion and it was very clear.

Upon every return, Light and Cahni would be waiting at the dock's edge to greet the men. Gonai, taking his two beautiful daughters in his arms first, would give each of them a kiss to the forehead before literally scooping Cahni up into his arms and walking off with her thrown over his shoulder.

Light would smile as the two walked off and then would turn to see a man, battered by the sun and ocean, smile weakly as he held everything in him as to not collapse in his woman's arms. Stepping up, he'd tie the boat and allow the other villagers to loot it, then, almost immediately, wrap his arms around his Light. The woman smiled as a deep kiss was exchanged and they walked towards their hut together. The hut was temporary, usually newly weds would reside in it until their first born would come. It was tradition in the village for couples to use one of the three as the man built his own hut for his family, extending the dock as he was his generation. The significance was both beautiful and one-of-a-kind.

"Smooth waters today?" Light asked as Nabari's hand slid off her shoulder to rest at her lower back.

"Something like that." he said, tiredly, but still smiling. His thumb gently rubbed against her spine, causing the woman to almost melt from the simple pleasure as they traveled towards the hut. "Glad to be back home though," he whispered before stealing another kiss as he held the leather flaps open for her to pass through.

There was a reason that the huts were built for the newly weds. The view alone was simply spectacular. Set at the highest docks, the hut was open in the back to not view a crowded bay full of fishing boats, but the edge of a growing mountain range on the peeking side of the Island. The moon and stars shone brightly over calming waters and all that could be seen on the opposing side of the land and thousands of miles of sparkling ocean was the faint glow of Shan-Hii.

Nabari stopped at a chest and began to remove his hunting gear. Right behind him, Light took each piece as he unhinged it, kissing the bare skin that was revealed. Her hands ran down his smooth back as she finished setting down the armor and his belt of weapons. Her soft touch made his body shiver and his skin tighten.

Turning around, the man placed both of his hands on Light's face, gently running his thumbs over her rosy cheeks. Light smiled and put her hands upon his wrists before leaning forward to kiss him, this time, as if they had been parted for years. The man arched back enough so that he could lift her and walk to the bed. He sat down, Light in his lap and parted the kiss, quietly gasping for air.

"Luna needs to be here sooner so I can have you all to myself again." he smiled, eyes closed, before pressing his lips to hers once more.

"Three more months and I'm all yours." Light laughed, sliding of his lap and laying upon their bed.

Nabari glanced back and simply gazed upon the woman he could only see for the rest of his life. Her smooth, sun-kissed skin -free of blemishes and scars, her white-gold hair which just seemed to pool perfectly behind her head as she rested back, her blue eyes which reminded him of a cloudless summer day. He wasn't sure if he had a lust or just the strongest, faithful form of love that could ever be for her. Sighing, he joined her, laying upon her chest and placing a hand over her stomach, "How did I get so lucky?" he whispered, his eyes closing slowly as she combed her fingers through his hair.

"You didn't need luck." Light said with a smile. "I had hoped you'd notice me since I was a girl. Thank goodness for small villages, hm?" she said with a laugh.

"Oh don't be so modest. Your entire lineage comes from good-looking villagers." Nabari joked.

"I'm sure my ancestors are blushing." Light laughed.

"I just want to meet her. Right now." Nabari said, opening his eyes and running his thumb over Light's abdomen.

"You will soon. Just keep coming home and one day, there will be a little pink child waiting for you to hold her." Light smiled.

"I better not be out on a hunt when you have her." Nabari said, a tone of seriousness entering his voice.

"Believe me, if I could control when I go into labor, I'd _make sure_ you weren't out on a stupid hunt." Light said before the tired began to make her eyes heavy.

"Sounds perfect to me..." Nabari said, drifting off.

o o o

The next morning, Light had taken an extra hour of two to sleep in. Waking up to an empty bed, she smiled softly at the space that once was Nabari. Her hand rested upon the indent his body made in the mattress as she closed her eyes once more. Another five minutes and she sighed, forcing herself up into a sitting position. Running her hand through her hair, she tossed it back and looked down to her bulging abdomen with a smile. Her hand dropped and rested upon her bare skin as she admired the feel and warmth of pregnancy. Three more months was all she had left...

After letting her mind travel into a daze, she was brought back by the abrupt scream of a voice she knew all too well. Throwing her blanket off her legs, Light was quickly out of her bed and making her way down the docks. Standing before a boat was a gathering of villagers, one of which, was holding Cahni as she cried with a certain horror. Light picked up her feet and was spotting as Cahni ripped herself away from the villager that held her. The sisters collided and they fell to their knees with one another. Light tried to hush her sister as she cried hysterically.

"Cahni.. Cahni! Shhh. What is it?" Light asked, pulling the girls head into view as she pat her hair down on either side.

Cahni locked eyes with her sister and began to sob uncontrollably. As the girl fell into her sisters arms, three men approached them, two men holding familiar objects stood behind one who also sat upon his knees.

Light looked from each man to the other in confusion. Her eyes went from a searching expression to a shocked one, and upon this transition, she pulled her sister into her tighter, "No. No.. NO." Light shook her head lightly before her body began to shake and tremble. Cahni screamed against her sister and continued to weep as Light slowly realized what had happened, what the men were holding, and what she had lost.

The woman let out a cry as she held her sister as tight as she could. People gathered, not knowing whether to join them in weeping or to give them space. Light threw her head back as tears fell down her cheeks. Her eyes closed as she tried so furiously to wake up from this nightmare. She looked to the objects the men held, they were both weapons her father and husband, Nabari used. Gasping for air, she rested herself against her sister. It hadn't even passed noon... and the sisters had lost everything that was their world in a few hours of a new day...

o o o

It was never really clarified how the two men in Light's life had died. Quite frankly, she never really wanted to know. There were rumors that they had been attacked. By a beast or human, nobody knew. The fishers that had found their boat was lucky enough to find bits and pieces of the hunters' belongings. A ceremony was held in honor of them and a portion of the Moga hunting grounds was blessed in their names. Light eventually left the honeymoon hut and began to live in the one that belonged to Cahni and her father previously.

For weeks, the sisters mourned their losses. Cahni grew older not ever knowing what happened to her father and learned to hate everything about sat in solitude as she forever wondered what happened and why her dear Nabari never came home.

The woman punished herself. Idly living by letting day after day pass. She remained in one spot at the edge of her hut where the dock sat over the bay. Occasionally, Cahni would force her to eat and drink in fear for both her sister's and Luna's life. Some times, she would comb her hair, talking to a ghost that was once Light in hopes of her snapping out of her daze. Sadly, there was no saving her.

Once a month passed with no sign of effort in eating, Cahni became desperate. Her asking turned to pleading as she begged for Light to save the life of her unborn child. It was in that conversation, Light finally spoke.

"Think of Luna! Light please, I know you lost more than me, but don't give up on her!" Cahni begged, grabbing her sister's attention.

Light's hollow eyes locked with her sister's. Her once full and radiant face resembled a skeleton. Her hair was fine and breaking, the woman that was once Cahni's sister, was no more. She parted her lips and spoke, her voice dry and almost painful to listen to, "I can not live a single day after this child is born. She will resemble him and I cannot take that, please understand."

"How! How am I supposed to accept that an innocent child is to die at your hands, Light! It is not their fault that he died! Wake up!" Cahni yelled, tears running down her face.

Light only shook her head in response, eventually speaking, "I will not raise a child who is fatherless." Light admitted, selfishly.

Cahni hiccuped as her tears fell down her cheeks, reaching out, she put a hand on her sister's stomach, it sinking unnaturally. The young girl pulled her hand away in horror as Light continued to look out at the sea, Cahni fearing now for the child more than ever.

"My child died with Nabari. Her soul wanders the ocean waves with her father. They will live on until I join them." she said in a dreary voice.

"Damn you, Light- Damn you and your neglect! That baby had no fault in this!" Cahni screamed at her sister before running out of the hut in tears.

o o o

The final months of Lights pregnancy passed quietly as the village gave up hope in seeing another child. It wasn't long before the woman went into labor as though she would be giving birth in normal circumstances. The night was long and filled with Light screaming as her body opened to deliver the child. Cahni rested at her sister's side, offering her hand to hold as the other pushed her sweat-covered hair back.

It was the early morning when Light finally delivered. A child, discolored and starved to death was born. Light's emotions collided and she broke into tears. She begged the women who wrapped the child tight in a blanket to see her.

"Please. Let me hold her. I want to see her." Light said in a state of pure confusion.

Cahni slammed her eyes shut as she pulled her sister against her.

"My baby -don't take her away yet. I need to see her. Please!" Light begged as her sister held her back. "I want her! Let me hold my child! Lunan! Lunan my baby please!"

After a moment, the woman began to realize why the women had simply walked out, huddled over the child and she began to cry. Letting out a wail of sorts, she fell limp against her sister. The past few months of her killing whatever life remained inside of her all rushed to her head, causing the woman to sob in her baby sister's arms.

"What have I done. Oh god, what have I done.." Light gasped for air as she tried to remotely grasp her reality.

Cahni, the one to see more than enough pain in this world simply held her sister, rocking her back and forth as she wept. Light and Cahni were now alone. The one last glimpse of the future they could possibly have died long ago, as Light simply faded away from the world for a little while...


	7. Chapter 7 - The Canyon

Chapter 7 - The Canyon

"Honestly, the weather out here makes no sense." a husky and irritated growl came from Ichiro as he rubbed his hands together near their small fire.

"We only have about two days left until it turns to all heat, we're fine." Kilk said, looking rather annoyed himself as his breath became visible.

Siras, who was passed out under a leather and fur-lined blanket they had taken from camp, had nothing to say save for a few snores which echoed across the small cave they resided in.

Ichiro glared at Siras' comfort and gave him a kick before rolling to his side and trying to sleep.

"Nnnnm what." Siras groaned as he woke up.

Kilk simply shook his head and hunched over to be closer to the fire.

"If I get hypothermia at anytime during this trip, I'm sawing your leg off, Siras." Ichiro grunted.

"Not my fault you didn't think to grab a blanket." Siras sneered, turning over and falling back to sleep.

The group was well into their second day of the hunt. Awaiting the perfect time to actually flee the area had become somewhat bothersome since the desert was indecisive over being boiling hot or painfully cold. As the night would approach, winds would pick up to levels beyond their handling. It was not only the smartest but the safest option.

Kilk, staying awake as to watch over the group, looked out the mouth of the cave and sighed, feeling almost unproductive now. Luckily, he kew no creature would be out trying to face this weather and this is what kept them safe. The man sighed as his folded arms rested atop his folded knees. Resting his head, he felt a new wave of cold wash over him from his slight movement. It was in this moment that Kilk began to question his decision to flee with Siras and Ichiro.

o o o

It was early the next morning when the three Hunters brewed more hot drink to have while they traveled further down the iced over plains. Stepping out of the cave, Kilk shiver slightly while his boot broke into a think layer of frost. Readjusting the weight of his gear on his back, he continued towards a rather empty looking area, a tired Ichiro and Siras following after.

"'Bout how long you think it'll take until this all melts?" Siras asked, catching up to walk beside Kilk.

"The cold wind will continue on into the afternoon. But it'll be warm enough out for monsters to come eat. It should let up around early evening-time." Ichiro answered from behind as he rubbed his hands together in frustration.

"Which means we need to be careful of what this hunt is even for. Barroths eat in early afternoon, so if we can set the gear down before then, we will be able to get out of the way in time to not even deal with him." Kilk added, opening his map to review where they intended to leave their spare bag for the fake death.

After turning their direction a few times over, the three finally got on track, heading into an area infested with Jaggia, a larger version of their scrawny cousin, the Jaggi. The group of hunters took maybe an hour to finally come to the opening where Jaggia lay scattered about. Rather lazy and unconcerned in nature while around their own kind, they simply slept in their nests. Ichiro, carrying the bag, peeked in. He viewed the large lizards in their lazy state of being, as one shifted lightly, it disturbed several others' slumber and was snapped at with a quick nip to the neck.

Ichiro frowned and looked back to Kilk and Siras, "There's enough raw meat in here to keep them occupied. Hopefully it's packed deep enough to where they'll rip the leather apart. Ichiro smiled, "It'll look a little more real to the sand sailers if they come this way.

The other two nodded and Ichiro turned back to toss the bag into the cave. Slowly, the Jaggia lifted their massive bodies to slump towards it. Rather than sniffing the meat out, they began to bite at one another, fighting for who would be first to delve into the sack.

Lets go." whispered Ichiro as he began to walk away.

The others nodded and followed after, they only hoped this would work as a distraction for the guild in order for them to not seek them out after their hunting days were up. Now, all they had to do was get out of dodge and make it past the hunting borders.

As they continued to travel, it became more and more apparent that the weather would be giving up on staying cold and soon turn to a boiling heat.

Hours began to stack up as the group did their best to follow their map. A barren desert terrain plus fresh, unbearable heat, and extra weight of their gear started to make the travel all the more of a hassle. Occasionally, Siras would let out some complaint about being too hot or thirsty, which was only stating the obvious of their current situation, this would be followed by some snap and remark of Kilk, all while Ichiro put every ounce of energy he had in him into getting out of the guild territory.

There was little left in the three men left when it came to having chummy conversation. Skin red from the relentless sun which now sat in the sky directly above them, sweat rolled down their drying and reddening skin, their refusal of a break until finding ample cover -all ingredients for tired, cranky, and painfully silent hunters.

As they three of them ventured further and further away from camp they came closer and closer to the outer limits of the Guild's hunting grounds. According to the map Ichiro held to tightly, the canyon's edge was their finish line. Most Hunters were smart enough to stay near rock walls, cave entrances, forest boarders, near water, or whatever they could use to delve into upon meeting an unfriendly beast. For Ichiro, Kilk, and Siras though, those geographic save spots weren't so readily available in the barren deserts. Especially when traveling away from where hunters are _supposed_ to be. The land before them was empty and if any Barroth were to catch up on their slightest foot vibrations during his feeding time, he would be on their trail and wouldn't stop until he saw them dead.

With their infamous luck, though, so far the most the hunters saw was a tumble weed or two, some withering shrubs, and a couple of dead trees. Monsters were nowhere to be seen as the Canyon's edges grew near.

The sky began to dim and the hunters decided an open camp would be fine for a quick rest once the air cooled a degree or two. The Sand Sailors were generally on scouting schedules of weeks at a time so they would be safe from the Guild for a few more days. Ichiro turned to the group and unfolded the map. The three of them looked down, squinting at the yellow paper.

"If we're on somewhat of the right track, it should take us a few more hours to get to the canyons. And hopefully... a water source."

"So what, we keep going or are we staying here the night?" Siras asked, his facial expression was drained and exhausted, complimented with his burnt face.

"Up to you two. I can keep going. Are you both running low on energy?" Ichiro asked, his eyes going from tired Siras to a silent and stoic Kilk.

"We should wait until a few hours before the sun is about to rise to make camp." Kilk said, looking up at the orange sky above them. "That way, we'll have down time when potential threats are sleeping. The monsters out here are on a similar sleeping pattern to humans. They're not built to hunt at the night or early morning."

Ichiro nodded and looked at Siras, who was taking a lengthy drink of his water.

"Let's go." Kilk said, walking ahead, his attitude completely different now. The truth was, Kilk was starting to regret this plan as a whole. He didn't know if Ichiro knew anything about where they were going, Siras was whining about every little detail in this trip, and Kilk was now starting to think that his life will be on the run from the point of crossing the canyon, on. The man was a noble hunter. He ALWAYS completed his hunts, always got fair pay, he was what one would call an actual Guild Abider. Most guilds would rip you off for a hunt then smile to you as you went broke, and still, Kilk would play by all the rules. He wasn't about the money or fame. He was about the thrill and the wholesome rush of a good hunt. His two "brothers" were the same, but money and other material things were of more importance when comparing them to hunting. And really, thinking about it, the whole Guild system was very corrupt: you have a group of people who claim portions of land, they expect pay for YOU to risk your life and kill something that could potentially crush you for... what? some hyde and good material? It was such an insane and dangerous logic that, for some reason, attracted hunters from all over the world. Kilk was one of those hunters. He wanted to hunt, he wanted to prove his strength, and his nobility was his most attractive feature as far as he was concerned. So, defying the rules of a guild, acting out against the laws that were set, all of it was finally catching up to him and he suddenly felt enraged -not at Ichiro or Siras, but at himself for so simply giving away a part of his moral. He felt as though there was now a chip in the armor that he had so carefully crafted all his life upon obeying the strict guidelines of Hunting Guilds. And this was what created his change in character.

The man walked a good distance ahead of Ichiro and Siras as he tried to level his head. On top of his inner hate for himself in this moment, Kilk was rather notorious for his stubborn ways. He would have a cloud over his head and swear he was fine. Ichiro and Siras knew this from the years they all spent together, so they were more than understanding when seeing Kilk's mood and solitary gestures.

Finally, the time approached when the hunters could let their worn bodies rest. The land was even more silent than it was in the day. The night breeze was so faint yet so appreciated as they set up a small camp. A low fire was set and they gathered around it -falling asleep the moment they hit the ground. It was a victory in itself to finally stop and not move.

Kilk, however, was restless. Turning over, he watched the fire. He viewed the flames as they danced across what twigs and brush the men could spare from their traveling packs. He sighed, questioning himself, silently. What would Shan-Hii City really offer him? He'd be lucky if the guild bought that they had died and somehow he, Ichiro, and Siras could pass as traveling hunters in such a famous metropolis. Shutting his eyes, Kilk felt his body finally acknowledge that it was exhausted. Upon a forced exhale, the man drifted off, his mind settling and his body going limp as it entered a slumber.

o o o

Upon creating their plan to travel until dawn, the hunters left out a very important detail. When finally taking a break from countless hours of walking, they weren't cautious of the possibility that an internal clock would be incompetent to their exhaustion...

It was already mid-day when Siras rose to view his two sleeping companions. He groaned, his body protesting movement as it had settled into the hard ground after his hours of immobility. He blinked, his eyelids refusing to lift all the way in fear of the sun above them. The man sighed and looked around. Things were still quiet, it was hot again, and it was back to what they were doing the day before upon Ichiro and Kilk's rising.

Reaching out to grab his water canister, there was a subtle rumble. The hunter froze, looking around. There was nothing but empty desert for miles. He held his breath as the earth shook more, causing Ichiro and Kilk to stir. Siras, eyes widened, whipped around and searched for the source of the quake. Ichiro, the hilt of his hammer already in hand, glared outward and let out a low growl,

"Get up. Now."

There was a splitting of earth as a large skull broke free. What the hunters didn't know was that they were being tracked, slowly, but efficiently by a rather angry Barroth. The beast was on its feet just as quickly as the hunters were. Packs tied close to their bodies and weapons in hand, they stood in a triangular form.

"We need to run. He wont charge unless we piss it off." Kilk said, his fingers loosening and tightening around the hilt of his blade.

"Or we could make the kill. Food for the journey?" Ichiro said, trying to lighten the less that happy mood.

"I'd rather cross the canyon." Siras offered.

"HA! You're a bunch of women!" Ichiro laughed, his hunting switch turning right on and his need to kill overpowering his logic. It was in a split second that the man took off in a run, charging towards the monster, ready to swing.

"Ichiro! Don't!" Kilk boomed at him, finding no use in this fight.

Ichiro made his attempt at a swing and that's when he felt it; his body was far too weak for this. His arms had an emptiness that caused him to miss completely. The hunters were simply far too weak for this one. The Barroth simply stepped to the side, let out a large bellow of a noise and ran right for Siras.

Also unprepared, the man took a hit which knocked him up and back a good few feet like a ragdoll into a small gathering of rocks. Siras, in seconds, was down for the count.

"Siras!" Kilk yelled, his heart almost stopping as he met the gaze of the monster a few feet before him.

Luckily, Ichiro found a second calling and there was a large crack as his hammer collided right into an exposed area of the Barroth's lower body. The monster recoiled, Ichiro obviously hitting a more sensitive area, and it was already burrowing.

"That'll give us a head start, GO!" Ichiro yelling as he mounted the hammer upon it's holster on his back, he was already in a full sprint towards Siras' body which was sprawled out limply across the mess of rocks.

Kilk sheathed his own weapon and took off after Ichiro, adrenaline pumping through his veins now as the ground continued to rumble below.

"Siras!?" Ichiro called as he pulled the man up.

In response, he fell forward against Ichiro and let out a cough as well as a mouthful of blood. There was no shortage of damage across his body. No doubt a few broken bones, scrapes, gashes, and obviously some internal issue. And this was just at first glance. Siras let out a yell of pain as Ichiro lifted his immobile body and slung him over his shoulder.

"I can see the canyon, let's move!" Kilk barked as another explosion of earth happened behind them.

The Barroth let out another angry call before it began to run, and literally shoved itself head-first back under the ground. Kilk and Ichiro ran for their lives as the large split in the earth drew closer. Connecting the two parted cliffs was a rather unpromising rock bridge. It was clearly natural, and it was their only escape from their current situation.

Coming to a skid at the bridge, the two men panted, looking around furiously for the Barroth.

"Go, get across!" Ichiro yelled at Kilk.

"No!" he protested, "get Siras out of here. You first!"

Ichiro grunted and readjusted Siras' weight over his shoulders. He took a few first careful steps and could feel the rock start to crumble from the weight. Kilk followed close behind, and this is what made the thing give way. Upon Ichiro's step, the bridge broke and he almost lose balance if it wasn't for Kilk giving him a firm and heavy shove onto the other side before falling back only to be clinging to the last bit of the rock that was their passage.

Ichiro tumbled, Siras going with him as they reached the safe zone. The man sprung himself up as he could only pray Kilk hadn't sacrificed his life for them to cross. Upon seeing him dangle on the edge of the canyon's cliffside, Ichiro called out to him, "You dumbass! You trying to get yourself killed?!"

Kilk coughed as he held himself to the cliff for dear life. He shoved himself up and rolled until he was on his back. He gasped for air and yelled back to Ichiro, "No! Trying to make sure you got Siras across!"

Ichiro looked around frantically for another way for Kilk to cross. Desperately, he spotted a tree and pointed to it for Kilk to see, "Get out your rope!" he yelled, knowing he was running out of time before the Barroth would show up again.

Kilk forced his body up and took off in a run, his heart pounding. He put his arms behind his back as he came to a skidding stop. His hands furiously unhooked a thick, weighted rope from the back of his pack.

"You gotta throw hard and jump! You'll make it!" Ichiro yelled before lifting up Siras once more. He looked back, seeing the new shade of fear in Kilk's eyes. He was a land hunter, and there was a very small place in Kilk's heart for free falling or leaping across canyon mouthes. He exhaled, his body tensing before he looked up, focusing on the tree and tuning out whatever Ichiro was shouting at him from across the way.

o o o

Kilk held the rope tight in his chapped and dry hands. Steadying his footing, he could feel the earth shake beneath him. The Barroth was was well on its way to emerging from its earthy burrow.

"Now!" Boomed Ichiro from the other side of the canyon. Siras slung over his shoulder limp and bleeding.

Kilk folded his lips in and threw the rope, the rocks braided into the thick wiry hair of its body acting as weights as they wrapped around a dead tree. Allowing himself a small amount of victory, he took a breath and jumped, depending solely on the rope to save his life.

For a moment. Things were quiet. Ichiro held his breath, his muscles tense as he awaited some sign from Kilk. The rope tightened with a large snap as Kilk's weight caught up in his fall. A large crash echoed through the canyons as his feet collided with the rock wall. Kilk literally squatting against the earth felt the skin of his palms start to break and bleed against the rough rope which suspended him in the air.

The hunter gasped for air as he recognized that he was still alive. He looked around frantically and finally made his body climb. Just as Kilk cut his distance in half up the cliff side, there was a large explosion as the Barroth broke his skull through the hard desert terrain. Kilk looked back, his face looking rather uncomfortable at not only the enraged monster but also his own vulnerability. Lucky enough, the Barroth was on the opposite side of the canyon as him, the space was literally his only ally now though.

Ichiro set his bleeding friend on the ground for a moment before he ran to the rope which wrapped itself upon the tree. He reached his body out over the cliff to see Kilk still a long ways away.

"Don't worry about him, you keep climbing!" Ichiro ensured him.

Kilk nodded, wincing at his bleeding hands every time he released his grip to pull his whole weight up another few inches. Looking back behind him, Kilk viewed the empty rivet of terrain which is where his body would lay now if his rope hadn't proven to be useful. He exhaled harshly, looking back up. The sun was baking. He could only wish that the freezing cold weather would come back in an instant. The man grunted and forced himself back into climbing. It took him a good few pulls before he heard it. The roar that rang out across the land was no call of a Barroth. It was dangerous. It sounded close to what death may be if it had scales, teeth and a rather bad attitude.


End file.
